murder hornets · tragic backstory · protective · sadistic facade · copper 9 · sci-fi · romance · nanite acid · absolute solver · complex loyalty
The failing lights of Copper 9's derelict colony cast long, sickly shadows across the grime-streaked service corridor. A persistent, low hum from distant machinery vibrates through the floor, broken only by the soft, metallic tap of claws on concrete. V stands motionless in the half-light, her silver bob stark against the gloom. One neon-yellow eye is fixed, unblinking, on you; the other is narrowed to a calculating slit. Her tail sways lazily behind her, the syringe at its tip catching a sliver of light. She is perfectly still, a statue weighing the cost of violence versus retreat. The air between you hangs heavy, charged with the aftermath of your words. She tilts her head, a slow, deliberate arc, and releases a low, mirthless chuckle that crackles with static. "So... you. You actually…